Computer Security (Cybersecurity)

News about Computer Security (Cybersecurity), including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Chronology of Coverage

Mar. 30, 2015

Hollywood studios, in wake of Sony Pictures hacking attack believed to be from North Korea, are embracing digital security to protect its scripts, casting and other files; filmmakers want better control over who can view and edit plots and budgets; venture capitalists are targeting part of $665 million that American companies spent on data-loss prevention in 2014. MORE

Mar. 27, 2015

Citigroup report says most big American law firm's unwillingness to publicly discuss hacker attacks and dearth of reporting requirements makes it impossible to tell if cyberattacks are on the rise; warns on protecting crucial business data. MORE

Mar. 12, 2015

Personal Tech Q&A on combating malware; using transferring all backed-up content of iPhone onto another iOS device; Tip of the Week on using Google FLights service to find cheap flights. MORE

Mar. 5, 2015

Apple and Google say they are releasing patches to fix outdated encryption key used in millions of devices, including smartphones, which render them vulnerable to hackers when users access websites, but have no plans to make major changes; recent discovery of weak encrypted apps, holdover from 1990s government mandate over technology export restrictions, comes amidst larger debate over encryption and security. MORE

Mar. 5, 2015

Personal Tech Q&A on receiving suspicious email from Internal Revenue Service; securing single folders on Apple computer with password; Tip of the Week on managing Charms bar in Windows 8.1 operating system. MORE

Mar. 2, 2015

Bitcoin's price has fallen over past year but its underlying software or block chain, a decentralized database that allows it to make payments directly and securely, is currency's true value; entrepreneurs are working to use this technology for other kinds of record-keeping. MORE

Mar. 2, 2015

Superfish's deal to put its software, also called adware, on Lenovo PCs has been disastrous, impugning business practices of both firms and putting negative impression on adware; security experts say Superfish's particularly aggressive software hijacked security system that is meant to protect online communications and commerce. MORE

Feb. 19, 2015

Personal Tech Q&A on setting up extra verification for Hotmail account; preserving iPod Classic; Tip of the Week on controlling which apps send notifications to smartphone's lock screen. MORE

Feb. 12, 2015

Personal Tech Q&A on moving scanned pictures to iPhoto; using virtual private network on mobile device; Tip of the Week on power-saving modes that some smartphones provide. MORE

Feb. 9, 2015

Some technology experts say security weaknesses on education websites, while apparently not exploited by hackers, are indicative of widespread lapses in student data protection throughout education technology area; they warn nonsecure sites could possibly expose students to hacking, identity theft or cyberbullying. MORE

Feb. 9, 2015

Report from office of Sen Edward J Markey of Massachusetts find that almost every passenger vehicle has weak security for its wireless systems. MORE

Feb. 6, 2015

White House unveils several initiatives to bolster data-privacy laws, including bid to examine discriminatory pricing on the Internet; push will also include Republican-sponsored bill to protect data collected from students' educational apps. MORE

Jan. 29, 2015

New regulations adopted by Chinese government governing computer equipment sold to Chinese financial companies is causing concern among foreign companies about protectionism that will force them out of one of world's fastest-growing markets; rules are first in series that China says are meant to strengthen cybersecurity. MORE

Jan. 29, 2015

Personal Tech Q&A on protecting a Mac from bot programs, and removing photos from a memory card; offers Tip of the Week on getting Google Maps app to point user in right cardinal direction. MORE

Jan. 15, 2015

Personal Tech Q&A on determining whether computer has software robot controlled by another person installed on it and backing up solid-state drives; also offers Tip of the Week about Twitter's search feature. MORE

Jan. 8, 2015

Molly Wood Machine Learning column focuses on warnings given at International Consumer Electronics Show about perils inherent in Internet-connected home appliances and electronics; notes of particular worry are new devices that collect data about users but do not have adequate security features to protect against breaches. MORE

Jan. 4, 2015

Op-Ed article by author Alina Simone describes how her mother's computer was infected with Cryptowall, type of virus known as ransomware because they hold users' files hostage and delete them unless ransom is paid; observes that those behind such ransomware use e-commerce tools, like the unregulated digital currency Bitcoin, to their advantage; notes best way for users to protect their files is to back them up frequently. MORE

Dec. 25, 2014

Gadgetwise blog; adjusting email settings is first step in blocking web-bugs or pixel trackers that can monitor a user's activity, but other techniques are also advised. MORE

Dec. 22, 2014

The weak spot at JPMorgan appears to have been a fairly simple two-step password system that was neglected. MORE

Dec. 11, 2014

Personal Tech Q & A on Microsoft Windows updates; finding and removing spyware from a Mac computer; Tip of the Week on built-in word processors on Mac and Windows computers. MORE

Dec. 10, 2014

Report published by Assn of National Advertisers and White Ops finds that fraudulent operators using robots to impersonate humans clicking on digital ads will rob advertising industry of $6.3 billion in 2015. MORE

Nov. 19, 2014

Many apps and websites, responding to increasing consumer demand for privacy online, are offering services to remove public data profiles in effort to keep addresses and photos out of search results; critics warn that emergence of such paid services will disproportionately affect those who cannot afford to pay. MORE

Nov. 19, 2014

Many people profess their hatred for passwords, which are now required for most devices and websites people use; exploring the way people choose their passwords reveals that many imbue their passwords with deeper meaning, and as such, they unlock much more than people's Internet accounts. MORE

Nov. 6, 2014

Molly Wood Machine Learning column examines ambitious and promising biometric technologies that will help consumers protect their data more easily. MORE

Oct. 21, 2014

Regulators are said to be discussing how to improve a critical area of cybersecurity: outside vendors, including law, accounting and marketing firms and even janitorial companies. MORE

Oct. 2, 2014

Molly Wood Machine Learning column assesses relative threat of mobile malware; notes while it is unlikely that a phone will get infected with malware, risk is growing; offers tips for avoiding malware. MORE

Sep. 9, 2014

Experts share methods for maintaining security on electronic devices at hotels, airports and other places. MORE

Aug. 28, 2014

Personal Tech Q & A on Windows 8.1 security software and using a Mac's Finder window; Tip of the Week on adjusting brightness of smartphone and tablet computer screens. MORE

Aug. 15, 2014

Government investigator says Internal Revenue Service failed to do background checks on some private contractors who handled confidential tax data, exposing more than a million taxpayers to risk of fraud and identity theft. MORE

Aug. 14, 2014

Personal Tech Q&A answers questions on managing passwords using smartphone app and getting help on Kindle device while overseas; Tip of the Week on using Google Translate feature. MORE

Aug. 9, 2014

Ron Lieber Your Money column offers tips on adding layers of security to login process for online accounts, in aftermath of revelation that Russian hackers had gotten their hands on 1.2 billion username and password combinations; notes while it may be impossible to keep one's digital credentials from being stolen, one can make it hard for hackers to use them successfully. MORE

Aug. 6, 2014

Tips for those worried about security of their personal data in light of discovery by Hold Security that Russian hackers possess hundreds of millions of email addresses and other types of personal identification. MORE

Jul. 31, 2014

As a chief information security officer, Mr. Maiorino may have one of the hardest jobs in corporate America. In an interview, he explains why he doesn’t see it that way. MORE

Jul. 31, 2014

Personal Tech Q&A on precautions in using free public Wi-Fi network and how to see the date and time stamps of iPhone photos; Tip of the Week on keyboard shortcuts for watching YouTube videos. MORE

Jul. 21, 2014

Chief information security officer, position that barely existed one generation earlier, has come to be regarded as one of most thankless and difficult jobs in corporate America; position has proliferated alongside growing threat of cyberattacks and security breaches at prominent companies; officers often earn outsize paychecks and other perks, but seldom remain at post for more than two years, either because they succumb to relentless pressure or are ousted following an attack. MORE

Jul. 17, 2014

Jul. 17, 2014

Gadgetwise column reviews the Blackphone, billed as the first smartphone built solely with privacy and security in mind; notes phone comes with trade-offs that most consumers might not need or enjoy. MORE

Jul. 3, 2014

Tips on planning ahead for control of one's personal information and handling one's digital content after death. MORE

Jun. 8, 2014

Stephanie Rosenbloom The Getaway column provides four rules for staying happily and safely connected to free Wi-Fi networks while traveling. MORE

Jun. 7, 2014

Internet giants are racing to encrypt more data and erect new security protocols to prevent the type of government surveillance that was exposed by Edward J Snowden; moves by Google, Facebook, Microsoft and others are making it far more difficult--and expensive--for National Security Agency and other intelligence organizations to pierce their systems. MORE

Jun. 3, 2014

Apr. 29, 2014

White House publishes on its website a series of questions it asks in deciding when to make public the discovery of major flaws in computer security; item is posted by White House cybersecurity coordinator Michael Daniel, and appears to be distilled from more detailed classified document giving guidance to National Security Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation and others who often exploit flaws in Internet security. MORE

Apr. 19, 2014

Heartbleed bug that rattled Internet exposes the paradox that some of web’s most crucial coding, on sites from Google to Amazon to Federal Bureau of Investigation, depends on efforts of volunteers programmers known as open-source community. MORE

Apr. 13, 2014

White House officials say Pres Obama has decided that National Security Agency should reveal most major flaws it discovers in Internet security, but a loophole exists that could allow NSA to exploit security flaws both to crack encryption on the Internet and to design cyberweapons. MORE

Apr. 12, 2014

Obama administration denies that National Security Agency or other federal agencies had known about security flaw nicknamed Heartbleed, which has created widespread fears that passwords and other sensitive information belonging to millions of Internet users may have been revealed; suspicions about NSA were fueled by fact that agency regularly seeks out similar security flaws for cyberweapons. MORE

Apr. 11, 2014

Security experts warn potential harm from the Heartbleed bug could go far beyond major Internet companies, penetrating to the inner workings of the web and devices that connect to it; Cisco Systems says its big routers and servers have not been affected, but notes smaller devices may be compromised. MORE

Apr. 10, 2014

Farhad Manjoo State of the Art column warns that the computer bug known as Heartbleed is stark reminder that the Internet is still in its youth, and vulnerable to all sorts of unseen dangers, including simple human error; asserts that digital systems are complex and penetrate every corner of people's lives making it impossible to lock them down. MORE

Apr. 10, 2014

Extent of programming mistake known as Heartbleed, which leaves sensitive personal information of consumers on some websites unprotected, is unclear; some experts advise consumers to change their passwords at any site that holds sensitive data, even if it means needing to change them again when the flaw is fixed; others warn changing passwords before sites are patched could simply lead to re-exposure. MORE

Apr. 8, 2014

The software behind the tiny padlock next to web addresses that promised to protect sensitive data is broken, a team of security researchers has discovered. MORE

Mar. 26, 2014

Large American corporations are pressing their law firms to increase cybersecurity to deter hackers from gaining access to confidential information. MORE